Ruger’s going 9mm with their latest SR1911. (Photo: Ruger)
Ruger’s expanding their wildly popular SR1911 series with a new Lightweight Commander-style single stack chambered for 9mm Luger. The new 9mm SR1911 looks like a great all-purpose pistol, suitable for fun times at the range and self-defense alike.
The 9mm SR1911 is designed to appeal to traditionalists who appreciate classic form and function, while taking advantage of modern manufacturing and materials at the same time. The gun is built on a light compact alloy frame with a standard short dust cover. Combined with snag-free sights, this makes the pistol a solid choice for concealed-carry. Unloaded it weighs in at a hair over 29 ounces, which is closing in on polymer pistol territory.
Ruger machines the barrel and barrel bushing from the same piece of bar stock for a consistent, tight fit. This is a welcome step on Ruger’s part. Barrel-to-slide fit is crucial for repeatable accuracy. And it has a swaged link pin; this helps to prevent it from shooting loose. The 9mm model, like the .45, features a 4.25-inch barrel and a matching matte stainless slide that contrasts nicely against the dark gray finish of the anodized frame. The plunger tube and frame are one single piece, ensuring that the tube will never come loose or break free. The rest of the components are standard 1911 parts, compatible with the bulk of aftermarket components out there.
The pistol uses a Series 70-style action for a superior factory trigger feel. The aluminum trigger has an adjustable over-travel stop for a short, positive reset. And instead of a firing pin safety, the 9mm SR1911 uses a light titanium firing pin to make it drop-safe.
See Also: Ammo Test: Barnes Barnes TAC-XPD 9mm +P
The 9mm model has a capacity advantage over Ruger’s original Lightweight Commander in .45 ACP, holding 9+1 rounds instead of 7+1. A few final modern touches include a lowered and flared ejection port, a skeletonized hammer and trigger and chevron-cut slide serrations. The pistol comes with a flat checkered mainspring housing installed and oversized beavertail grip safety.
The Novak LoMount Carry 3-dot sights that combine a high-contrast sight picture for fast target acquisition without sights protruding high over the slide. Lastly, it has a right-handed thumb safety, rubberized polymer grips and comes with two magazines and a bushing wrench.
Ruger’s pegged the suggested retail price for the new 9mm SR1911 Lightweight Commander at $979, the same as the .45. Consequently, we can expect it to have a street price of around $750 or less.
The 9mm versus .45 ACP debate will be around as long as people continue to shoot 1911s but it is nice to have options. With a couple of more rounds per mag, the new Ruger 9mm SR1911 really is a versatile gun, and a good looking one at that. Hopefully for 9mm fans, this is just the beginning for Ruger.
To learn more about Ruger’s SR1911 series visit Ruger.com: https://www.ruger.com/products/sr1911/models.html
Shop for Ruger SR1911 pistols today with GunsAmerica.com: https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=sr1911
I was looking at the 9mm Ruger Lightweight Commander at my local gunshop and noticed the one there had a Wilson/Nowlin configured ramped barrel. As I do not read any mention of it in the write-up, is it a newer version, a one of a kind set-up. or was it just not mentioned in the article (or on Ruger’s website). Just curious.
I just bought a ruger 1911 9mm. Really a nice tight gun. Looks great also. Easy takedown. Shoots great. Ruger has done it again. At a good price.
I have the SR1911 45acp and love the gun but! I hate the Novak sights. I like the military sights better.
The Novaks are to coarse for 100 yard pop can shooting. I can bust’em with my piece of junk LLama 45 all day long but I can’t get a picture of the cans with the thick Novaks.
I don’t like the oversized beavertail either and will someday change it out to a small one. I have never pinched my hand with the slide on any other 1911. I can’t reach my thumb over and lower the hammer without a two hand hold.
The hammer needs to be stainless too as the black oxide hammer rusts from the humidity here.